Valley Passive House in Minnesota Revisited Post-Construction

The solution was building a new home to Passive House standards, without sacrificing the modern aesthetic that they love. They had their architect, Dave Zweber, principal, David Charlez Designs, in Lakeville, design the home of their dreams. Then, says D.R., “We had our builder make it a Passive House.” A Certified Passive House consultant, Ryan Stegora, owner of RJ Stegora Inc., brought to the project history of building highly energy efficient and durable buildings. 

“We don’t feel like we had to sacrifice on either end,” said Jennifer of the modern design and the Passive House construction. The Schroeders and their children moved into their new home in May 2019.

Developed in Germany, Passive House design includes five basic principles. Continuous insulation throughout the entire shell is the first principle. The second is airtightness, to stop heat loss and moisture accumulation. The third is installing energy-efficient windows that bring in solar heat during the cold months. Balancing ventilation for constant fresh air is the fourth. As a result (principle number five), the home requires minimal, if any, heating and cooling using mechanical systems.

The Schroeders’ home boasts triple-pane windows and a flat-roof assembly that’s 23-inches thick. The highly insulated walls are approximately 19 inches thick. The all-electric home has a heat pump hot-water heat, heat pump dryer, Energy Star appliances, and an induction cooktop: A rooftop solar array powers them all. The home has all LED lighting, used no- or low-VOC paint, incorporated FSC-certified wood, and has low-flow plumbing fixtures and toilets.

The builder constructed the home’s deck of black locust wood, which is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to ipe. (A rare and overharvested wood from Central and South America, ipe grows in low densities: Mature trees appear once every 300,000 to 1,000,000 square feet. Harvesters cut through the rainforest to reach those mature trees, resulting in deforestation and waste.) Around the deck, the Schroeders planted a low- to no-mow pollinator-friendly lawn, and drought-resistant native plants.

We asked D. R. Schroeder to how the family likes living in their new modern Passive House, and advice they have for other homeowners wanting to build sustainability.

Making Passive House Mainstream

Rise: What advice would you give to other potential homeowners who wish to build a house to Passive House standards? What do they need to consider? What are the pros and cons?

D.R.: We learned a lot along the way in our project. Probably the most important was finding a good builder who is motivated to adopt a non-mainstream technique like Passive House. Your builder is going to be the one dealing with the day-to-day implementation of the design. You need a builder who is on board with delivering a project that isn’t like most homes, as far as building technique. Building a Passive House takes a team of people. Our advice is to start that team with the home builder or contractor.

If you are considering building a new home, we encourage you to explore Passive House. There are some additional up-front costs to upgrade building materials like high-performance windows, but the long-term benefits of less energy use and a comfortable home are worth it. As homeowners create more demand for energy-efficient, high-performance homes, the building industry will respond and help shift improved energy efficiency into the mainstream.